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How To Respond To a LinkedIn Recruiter: 9 Tips From Recruiters

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Tips from LinkedIn Recruiters

To help job seekers with responding to a LinkedIn recruiting message, we asked HR professionals and business recruiters this question for their best insights. From starting with gratitude to asking for more information, there are several strategies that may help you make a good impression in your response to a recruiter.

Here are nine tips on how to respond to a LinkedIn recruiter:

  • Show Interest in the Role
  • Respond Professionally
  • Start With Gratitude
  • Make a Connection
  • Be Quick and Proactive
  • Don’t Burn Bridges
  • Always Respond
  • Ask for More Information
  • Send in Your Resume

Show Interest in the Role
Of course, the answer to this question depends on whether you are interested in working for the company the recruiter is representing or not! Assuming you are interested in learning more about the position, I would recommend responding with a reply that is upbeat, curious, and proposes next steps. By showing the recruiter that you are interested in the role and are ready to hop on a call, your chances of scoring an interview are instantly higher.

Eli Patashnik, iFax

Respond Professionally
If you have been approached for a job opportunity on LinkedIn, it means your activity on the platform is getting noticed. That is something to be celebrated! Make sure to read their message and, if you’re interested, respond quickly and professionally. Your recruiter will want to connect with you to ensure you’re a good cultural fit for the company, so you can schedule an initial interview to get to know the potential employer better and ask details about the job opportunity.

Jon Schneider, Recruiterie

Start With Gratitude
Responding to recruiters on LinkedIn is a balancing act, especially considering the specific circumstances that you are under. The best thing to do, though, is to start with gratitude. Thank them for reaching out and considering you for the current role, or compliment the company in some way. You really only have this one shot to make a lasting good impression about your character and who you are as a person. Starting with gratitude can also help create a fluid conversation, even if you aren’t necessarily looking for a job or interested in that role. This can also help if you ever did need to find a new opportunity, you might be able to reach back out to them.

Ryan Nouis, TruPath

Make a Connection
When a recruiter reaches out on LinkedIn, the first thing to do is actually respond. Whether or not you might be interested in the position, a simple thank you and an honest statement of where you’re at in your career goes a long way. I have seen great connections pay dividends down the road either when that same recruiter is sourcing for another opportunity and thinks of you or when you are thinking about changing roles. Good connections are priceless.

Jenn Christie, Markitors

Be Quick and Proactive
If you’re interested, express it by responding as soon as you can. You can ask more about the position, company and other necessary details. It’s also important to include faster ways to contact you, perhaps via email or phone number. If you aren’t interested, you can express your gratitude and maybe recommend a potential lead for them. Being able to respond to recruiters will also help you build your network.

Joe Flanagan, VelvetJobs

Don’t Burn Bridges
Whether you love your current employer or simply feel the open role doesn’t fit what you’re looking for, the last thing you want to do is burn down a bridge. Regardless of why you are disinterested, recruiter engagement is an excellent opportunity to build connections with the right person who, by the way, may potentially win you a dream job in the future. Be sure to sincerely thank the recruiter and courteously explain why you’re passing. Then feel free to pitch that you’d like them to get in touch when another opportunity that might better fit your picture perfect career path presents itself. Explain your ideal role and the type of work you’d love to be alerted to in the future. Above all, avoid automated responses.

Joel Cheesman, Poach

Always Respond
It’s important to respond as soon as possible. Ask the recruiter for more information and make sure to secure either a call or a meeting as a next step. If you are not interested in the offer, respond anyway. Remember to be polite and express the reason why you are not interested in pursuing the job offer. It would be very helpful to schedule a call to discuss the type of opportunities you are interested in and let the recruiter get to know you a bit better. If you make a good impression, they might keep you in mind for future job opportunities. Whether you are interested in the job offer or not, it is in your benefit to build relationships with recruiters. You never know who can lead you to the job of your dreams.

Jessica Ulloa, MyPerfectResume

Ask for More Information
Even if you think you’re not interested, always respond to a recruiter by asking about the job and the company. Many folks who were happy with their current position have been offered jobs that are 3x better on LinkedIn. It never hurts to interview. At a minimum, you are keeping your interview skills sharp. On the other hand, you may uncover a fabulous hidden opportunity! After a phone or Zoom interview, if you’re not interested, tell the recruiter, “If I hear of someone who is qualified, I’’ll give them your name.”

Joni Holderman, Thrive! Resumes

Send in Your Resume
I think that it is always smart to send them your resume, cover letters, and letters of recommendation. That way they have your information on file, and if a great opportunity comes their way that they may think you are a great fit, you are already in their database. If you are not looking for a new role, it is still good to have the connection in your back pocket.

Jason Wong, Doe Lashes

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The Real Value of LinkedIn: Cultivating Physical Networks from Electronic Contacts

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Real Value of LinkedInWritten by: Carl Forkner
Professionally edited by Kitty Carlisle

Because LinkedIn is the premier global platform for professional networking, it is likely that you will be able to develop a number of contacts through the site (after all, you need 50 or more to be an “All Star” level user). But developing an electronic network is not the endpoint—it is the beginning—if you are expecting to cultivate an effective, enduring relationship. To accomplish a true relationship, you need to translate your electronic connections into real-world, physical networks. No, it is not always possible, especially with global enterprise businesses, but it is absolutely vital to networking among small and medium businesses (SMB). So, how do you go about cultivating that network?

First, of course, is gaining connections. There are numerous ways to accomplish this, but the key is to remain active with connections after making the link. For example, you will see people with the acronym “LION” on their profile—these people openly invite anyone to connect with them, and often have thousands of connections; however, it is literally impossible for them to develop a meaningful relationship with that many connections; LinkedIn connection counts in your profile header are capped at 500+. It does not matter how many connections you make, what matters is how many you can keep and make meaningful. The real benefit is not just from your first level connections (the ones directly connected to you); rather, the true benefit of LinkedIn connections is your second level—those people connected to the person with whom you have a direct connection. Don’t forget to examine your connections’ connections to see if there are professionals who may best suit your networking needs … and you may suit theirs (remember, networking is a two-way street).

Much like the “real world,” LinkedIn presents opportunities to gather and exchange information, opinions, and professional information. These opportunities present themselves in four useful options—sharing updates and media, sharing posts (the LinkedIn Blog feature), commenting and responding to updates and posts, and participating in LinkedIn groups. While the first three methods are also available on platforms like Facebook and Google+, what makes LinkedIn powerful for professionals is the “Groups” feature that brings together professionals with common industries, interests, and goals into an electronic venue that resembles a meeting room, but with asynchronous participation.

Sharing Information and Media. In order to keep from being “invisible” on LinkedIn, you need to be posting something at least once every week. This puts your name up on the news feeds of all your contacts regularly, so you keep yourself visible to them. Sharing is a brief (character-limited) posting to present ideas, links to articles or other meaningful material about which you discuss, or an image for which you provide a brief description or commentary.

Posts. The “Publish an Article” feature is the integrated Blog capability of LinkedIn. This allows you to share extensive discussion on a topic, including an image that helps accentuate your “Blog” post. This is a great way to elicit comments or start a discussion, whether in general (on your wall and your connections’ news feeds) or within a LinkedIn group.

Comment and Respond. Again, you must approach this LinkedIn environment with the perspective of it being a two-way street. If you see an interesting discussion or media shared by a connection, take the time to write a meaningful comment—people feel good about themselves when they notice that others are actually paying attention and reading what they take the time to share. This may have the effect of starting a discussion among connections relative to the shared material. Likewise, when someone comments on your material, take the time to continue the conversation by responding with a substantive, or at least professional, reply. When people see that you value their interaction, they are more likely to continue interacting. In both these cases—commenting and responding—starting and continuing the conversation may lead to an ongoing or more in-depth professional relationship.

Groups. This is the key function that sets LinkedIn apart from other social media platforms. The Groups feature provides a segmented networking area for professionals with complementary industry, interests, and goals to have asynchronous collaboration among colleagues. Groups may be either public (anyone may join in) or private (the group moderator approves those who request to join). Especially germane to the private group function, this feature provides an environment to start and continue conversations within a focused area of interest or business. It is within groups that the realization of meaningful relationship may be cultivated with the professionals best suited to your networking goals.

Once you make local area connections, take the opportunity to nurture the relationship, learn more about each other as professionals, and then invite your connection to meet. This can be over a cup of coffee at a local coffee shop, a venue of mutual interest, or even visit each other’s office to learn more about what each of you does—similar to the career-seeker who requests an informational interview with a company in which they have an interest. With technology driving so much of what we do, we often forget that human interaction is comprised of 80% nonverbal messages—something that comes out in person-to-person meetings.

Finding Networking Opportunities in the Phoenix Area

Another way to translate electronic contacts into physical relationships is through networking groups in your local area. In the Phoenix metro area, there are myriad opportunities each week to attend networking groups. The following represent a sample of the most common venues for networking in the Phoenix metro area.

Chambers of Commerce. The various Chambers of Commerce sponsor networking or leads groups throughout their purview to facilitate bringing professionals from Chamber member companies and organizations together regularly in small groups. Typically, these groups have rules, most of them allowing only one professional from each type of business to be a group member (this keeps from having direct competition within the group). The groups provide an environment where you may present your business, share leads, and even set up outside meetings to get to know another professional in the group better. The hitch? You need to be a Chamber member company or organization to participate in these groups.

Networking Events. Each day there are networking events happening throughout the Central Valley. These events range from wide open events to which professionals from any industry or organization may attend and participate, to focused groups based on industry, gender, ethnicity, location, and career level. Some opportunities are free of charge, while others may charge a nominal fee—in other words, they want you to “have skin in the game.” Some of the most prominent ones are listed below:

Networking Phoenix (www.networkingphoenix.com). Advertised as Phoenix’s leading resource for free comprehensive information on business networking events and professional networking groups in the Greater Phoenix  area.

Meetup (http://professional-networking.meetup.com/cities/us/az/phoenix/). Meetup is one of the easiest platforms to use to find networking groups parsed out by specific criteria. It contains both free and paid networking groups and events. Adaptable to many cities from the website.

Network After Work (http://www.networkafterwork.com/city/phoenix). This program includes regularly scheduled paid ($12-$15) events for professionals, holding events in the evening so that they are outside most normal business working hours. Adaptable to many cities from the website.

Phoenix Business Journal Events (http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/calendar/). This site lists, in chronological order, events around the Central Valley. Adaptable to many cities from the website.

Referral 101 Network (http://101referralnetwork.com/). This is a paid membership group designed to facilitate the passing of referrals for business between member professionals. It spans many locations around the Loop 101 freeway.

Executives Network (https://www.executivesnetwork.com/). This paid attendance group meets in Scottsdale twice monthly. It is designed to promote leads for professionals in the Director or above level of management. It is pure networking and leads—not socializing as some other events may include. The networking group is led by Molly Wendell and George Fleming, spanning not only Phoenix but other major metro areas in the US as well.

Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/d/az–phoenix/networking/). Eventbrite has listings of many networking events in the Phoenix metro area, as well as nationwide. By substituting the name of another city for the word “phoenix” in the URL, you can find events in specific locations. Events listed there include both free and paid opportunities.

In Closing

Networking encompasses many different options, from electronic to physical relationships, from C2B, B2C, and B2B objectives and goals, and from open to focused opportunities. In the end, the most important principles are the same across the board:

  • Start the conversation
  • Make meaningful connections
  • Nurture your connections
  • Continue the conversation
  • Mutual support—not a one-way street
  • Follow through
  • Make networking a priority

Finally, the most important criterion for effective networking: Get up, get out, get going!

Business Cards, Evernote & LinkedIn, Oh My!

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Written by Kevin Spear

Professionally edited by Kitty Carlisle

Business CardsBusiness cards and LinkedIn are important tools in a job search. Business cards are vital for giving a tangible reminder of your visit. LinkedIn is your virtual resume and the primary way recruiters search for talent. If you use Evernote, you have a way to make them work together for you.

Evernote’s camera feature has come a long way. It recognizes when you are taking a picture of a business card. It will find the contact information in the card. But what is even more powerful is it will use that information to find your new contact on LinkedIn and give you the option to connect with them. You can even send your information to your new contact.

This feature should work on Android as well as iOS phones and tablets. For more information, Evernote has good documentation.

In order to enable this feature, you can do the following on you iOS device.

  1. Tap on your settings in the top left
  2. Tap on General
  3. Tap on Camera
  4. Tap on Business Cards
  5. At the top is the LinkedIn logo. If you are not connected, tap “Connect.”
  6. Enter your LinkedIn email and password. Now you should be connected.
  7. Go back and tap on “My contact info.” Check and edit your information. You will be able to send your information to the person’s email address on the business card.

Now you are ready to use Evernote to keep your scanned business cards. When you receive a card at an event, you can do the following:

  1. Set the business card on a contrasting background. A white card should be on a dark background so the camera can find the edges of the card
  2. Take a picture of the business card. The app should recognize the card as such.
  3. If the card is two-sided, you can take a picture of both sides.
  4. The app should recognize the text and fill in contact fields. Always check the text to be sure the app accurately converted the text. There is also a chance text will be added to the wrong fields.
  5. The app will let you know if it finds a match on LinkedIn. It is based on the email address the person has entered on LinkedIn.

As with any feature, it may take some experimenting and testing to make it work for you. But when you take the time to learn this new feature, you can save several steps in gathering and recording your contact information.

9/15/16 – Crush the Pink Slip: Get Back to Work in 60 Days

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Written by Susan Lamphiear

As we recently commemorated the 15th year anniversary of 9-11, most of us remember where we were September 11, 2001, because it was a life-changing event. The whole nation, possibly much of the world, reflected on that day, and all that has happened since, as we try to make sense of it.

Most people have experienced at least one personal 9-11 in their lives, and probably more than one.  It’s that moment when life changes as we once knew it. It could technically even be a happy moment like a marriage or the birth of a baby or a child going off to college. An alarm or wakeup call that time marches on and tomorrow is promised to no one. Or it can be a shocking life event like illness or a death of a loved one, an accident or natural disaster,  the change or end of a relationship,  or,  JOB LOSS — forever altering our own world.

A mammoth event, national or personal, though difficult, can lead to growth and positive changes or insights. It makes me think of that song,  “There’s Got to Be a Morning After….if we can hold on through the night.”

Keynote

Best day of Brenda Cunningham’s life happened in January, 2009. But how can that be, you say, since that was the month Brenda was laid off from her high-paying, well-respected career as an electrical engineer? She didn’t realize at the time it was the best day of her life. That came after a little couch surfing and contemplation. At the time her two kids were under age five.

Once she reflected and realized she’d been working so hard she didn’t have time to live, the next thought was, “Crap. I don’t have a job. I love my babies but love ‘em after three o’clock.”

When Brenda was laid off she admits her confidence took an immediate and severe hit. Millions of dollars had crossed her hands in business deals. She was busy on conference calls day and night. But she realized after the layoff she’d been going through the motions. She was always working, conference calling on her blue tooth, even as she picked up her kids from daycare. Life was passing her by.

Her husband would come home that first month of her layoff and say, “What’s going on?” as he looked around at the chaotic scene. “And where’s dinner?”

Then one day, “It was like the hand of God pulled me off the couch and said, ‘Get to work!’”

Since that ominous day in 2009, Brenda, among many other things, has written a book, CRUSH the Pink Slip: Get Back to Work in 60 Days which stresses three important points she wanted to share with other job hunters. Have a goal, a game plan, and a realistic time table.

Brenda’s Takeaway Wisdom for the Job Hunter

  • You need to do more than the average job seeker. Be willing to get uncomfortable, including networking.
  • Face the fact there are certain things it takes (for most people) to get a job in this day and age.
  • Update your resume. Remember that layoffs are no surprise. They’ve been a reality for some time now.
  • Work on your resume remembering there are many opinions about resumes floating around out there. Be selective about whose advice you take. Her best advice is to tailor your resume to fit the job you want.
  • Use LinkedIn! It’s no longer optional! Remember it was never intended to be a quick job search tool. It’s a long term strategy. (Be sure to include a professional head shot, not a selfie!)
  • Keep yourself in good health. She goes to the gym. Early. Remember what Kobe Bryant says at his speaking engagements: “I’m here because of 4 AM.” Be willing to put in the work to get a job and to be healthy doing it.
  • Know what you are looking for! If someone says to her, “I just need a job” her response might be, “I heard QT is hiring.” With all due respect to QT, she says most people don’t mean just any job. Be willing and able to articulate that. “I want a position in IT working for…..” Be as specific as you can. Name the industry at least, better yet, the company. More than likely most people at least want something more specific such as Project Management, IT network security, or Customer service manager.
  • When you network, follow up. Don’t expect someone to remember you if you haven’t seen or contacted them for five years. She references a cousin who only calls when she needs money. Guess how often Brenda takes her calls these days?

Brenda urges us to remember Napoleon Hill’s words from his book — Think and Grow Rich: “There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants and a burning desire to possess it.”  Be able to explain what you’re looking for and then be willing to put in the hard work your personal career goal probably requires and deserves.

Hiring Companies

Health Net

Bonnie Taylor, Sr. Staffing Consultant

Health Net, after being acquired by Centene in 2016, is now one of the largest providers of Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and other government-sponsored and commercial programs in the country in addition to being the number four Fastest Growing Company (Forbes 2015). The company takes pride in operating locally. Benefits include medical, dental and vision; short and long-term disability for employees working at least 30 hours; life insurance; financial plans like 401K, Paid Time Off and more. Bonnie states that no one ever says they can’t work for the company because of their benefits! Career opportunities available with the company include Behavioral Health, Analysts, Clinical and Nursing, IT and more. A tip for locating jobs in Arizona — type “Arizona” in the key word search.  For a complete list of careers, visit their website or contact Bonnie Taylor.

Northwestern Mutual

Jessica Bowles, Director of Recruitment and Selection

Northwestern Mutual has been around for 160 years, with offices today in all 50 states. Known as the Policyowners’ Company, their products include mutual funds, disability insurance, annuities and life insurance. The company prides itself on being an industry leader with high ratings from all four major agencies. Supportive team environment and capable, encouraging leadership are among their hallmarks. Opportunities currently available at Northwestern Mutual in Phoenix include Marketing Assistant, Financial Representative/Advisor and Assistant Financial Representative. For more information or to apply, visit their website.

Career Evolutions

Christian Kaijser, Managing Director

Career Evolutions, a Hiring Company, offers support throughout the full employment lifecycle in functional areas of Accounting & Finance, Sales & Marketing, Technology, and Direct-Hire & Consulting.

Advice from Christian

Christian reminded us that it’s all about attitude (80%) and aptitude (20%). Employers are looking for people with desire and passion for the job and people who are tech savvy. To stand out, today’s candidate should possess appropriate appearance, intellect and presentation.

He urges everyone to use social media including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Blogs to brand yourself and to stand out. He admits that the job search sucks, that some careers and locations are hot, some not. Administrative and Finance are hot areas right now. Going to Houston may not be so “hot” right now for the job hunter.

  1. Start the job search immediately.
  2. Treat the search like a job.
  3. Be open to interim positions, freelancing or consulting.
  4. Don’t panic, be patient, but don’t be overly picky.
  5. Stay fit.
  6. Network.
  7. Have a dynamic, relevant and error-free document portfolio.
  8. Manage your personal and professional brand.
  9. Do your homework; stay fresh and engaged.
  10. Don’t prematurely talk salary, vacations, and schedules.

If you’re worried about age discrimination, take time to get current. He explains his own metamorphosis from 1995 to present day — where he’s evolved from yesterday’s a little overweight and out of fashion guy to today’s with-it businessman with spiky blond hair and a leaner silhouette.

For more information on the company, visit their site.

TJX

Susana Romero, HR Recruiter

TJX is the leading off-price apparel and home fashion retailer in the U.S. Brands include such stores as T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods. “Off-price” indicates brand names, fashion, price and quality. Typical benefits as an employee include direct deposit, associate discount, holidays/sick time/ bereavement leave, Medical/Vision/Dental insurance, and much more. Current home office positions in Phoenix include Fulltime positions of Distribution Center Supervisor, Finance Supervisor, Merchandise Controller, and Loss Prevention Specialist. For more information or to apply, visit their website.

Resources

New Horizons Learning Center

Zack Hiscock, VP Learning and Development

New Horizons Learning Center is the world’s largest independent IT Training Company “turning ambitions into marketable skills.” Their goal is to empower people to success through training. Most programs they offer end with a certification which can help students differentiate themselves from the competition. Certifications include Microsoft Office, Cisco, IT Programs, Office Management or Healthcare Records Management and more. The training center helps students find just the right program to suit each person including experience, job market, salary requirements, funding, and flexibility of training needs. Courses are offered using a variety of methods including traditional instructor-led, online LIVE learning, and online ANYTIME learning. Tools include hands-on labs, reference materials, practice exams, learning guides, course ware, and exam preparation. Job placement assistance is also available at this State-of-the-Art facility. Funding is also available. Contact them for a free consultation, or visit their website for more information on classes and funding.

Closing

Executive Director Jessica Pierce closed the formal part of the meeting, thanking volunteers and the host site, Highlands Church. Attendees were reminded to take advantage of the free DISC assessment available to Career Connectors’ members. During breakout sessions, everyone was invited to participate in the free resources available including talking directly to hiring managers, getting professional head shots taken, consulting with professional resume writers, and networking with other attendees.

The next meeting of Career Connectors will be held Tuesday, September 27, 2016, in Gilbert, starting at 9:00 AM. and featuring keynote address by Pamela Heward –The Work Before the Work: Box Free Breakthroughs for a New Career and Mind.

The next Scottsdale event will be Thursday, October 13, 2016, at 9:00 AM. Keynote address, The Key to Improving Your Job Search, will be presented by Greg Harnyak.

For an ongoing list of events and details about time, address, and program, click here.